


Apple & Archer

by retrinazambrano



Series: Apple & Archer [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQ Prompt Party 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:51:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrinazambrano/pseuds/retrinazambrano
Summary: Emma is Snow White, Regina is the Evil Queen, and Robin is a stall owner dressed as Robin Hood at Storybrooke Comic Con. He's also the owner of small business Apple & Archer. You can see where this is going.





	Apple & Archer

**Author's Note:**

> For OQ Prompt Party 2017.
> 
> 102\. Modern day AU where they are cosplayers and meet at a Comic Con

"Why can't I be the Evil Queen?" Emma whines as she pulls a short, black wig over her blonde locks. "This damn thing is so itchy." She squirms as she tries to ignore the irritation crawling over her scalp, but Regina all but ignores her.

"You promised me," the brunette smirks and indeed she did promise. It was a bet - if Emma won, they'd be the Black Widow and Catwoman at the upcoming Storybrooke Comic Con. If Regina won, they'd be Snow White and the Evil Queen. Emma had scoffed then, thinking her winning the bet would be a sure thing… but she underestimated Regina's capacity to catch apples with her teeth and Regina spent the rest of that Halloween evening letting Emma know exactly how she intended to style her.

Regina sniggers at Emma's attitude, knowing she'll soon come round. Pressing her hair into place, she shakes her shoulders and inspects herself in the floor-length mirror in front of her.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" she drawls as she stares at her reflection, applauding herself on her immaculate makeup.

"It is I, Snow White," Emma calls from behind her with a laugh. "Now, don't go sending any huntsmen after me. I quite like my heart."

Regina turns, her smile soft, far softer than the persona she's portraying. "I do too."

\------

Getting public transport in such an intricate costume is quite the challenge, Regina finds, but Emma's got it right, opting to change in the toilets at the venue and, due to this, she's tasked with the job of ensuring her cape doesn't get caught in… well, anything. She gets a couple of looks during the journey (looks she counters with the coldness of her character) but, once she is on the final bus to the convention, she notices that she's no longer the lone cosplayer. She spots stormtroopers, a Princess Jasmine, a Jon Snow, even a guy dressed imaginatively as a dalek.

She finally feels comfortable.

\------

She needn't have worried anyway, for the moment she exchanges her ticket for a wristband, the two of them are accosted by other attendees, eager to take pictures with the Evil Queen and Snow White. They both launch into their roles, Emma all smiles and one with the animals and dwarves, as she so put it, Regina stern, the expression on her face nothing less than calculating. It's exactly the same sort of situation when the two begin to wander the aisles and stalls, casting an eye over all the wonderful comics, items for sale.

She stops at a particular stall, pulled in by the stunning reds and greens… and the symbolism. An apple with an arrow straight through the middle, replicated in carefully moulded and painted apple ornaments, accompanied by a gold arrow straight through the middle. She picks up the closest one to her and inspects it.

"See something you like, milady?" Regina looks up, her coffee coloured eyes meeting his ocean blue ones. He's giving her a close-lipped grin and although her chest flutters for a moment, she pulls herself together.

"I think you'll find it's Your Majesty, Thief." He's dressed as Robin Hood, she notices, complete with bow, arrow and quiver and, if that British accent is put on, he sure has her fooled.

"Oh, I apologise, Your Majesty," he laughs, holding his hand out. Regina shakes it with a smile as he clears his throat, standing. "Robin."

She stares at him for a beat before laughing out loud. "Nice one. I can see you're dressed as Robin Hood."

"No, really," he frowns. "My name is Robin. Robin Locksley." Regina raises a brow, yet still struggles to contain her laughter. "Don't believe me?" He holds out his ID and Regina acquiesces.

"Okay, Robin." She can't resist. "Where are the rest of the Merry Men?

Robin groans, rolling his eyes playfully at this rather attractive woman in full costume. "Yes, I've never heard that before. I might as well use the name to my advantage, huh?"

Regina hums. "You'll tell me you're an archer next. Just to continue the charade."

"No charade," he confirms, brushing his fingers through his hair. "I really do like archery, hence the name."

She squints at him for a moment. The name? Oh, his company name. "Apple and Archer. Nice touch. Archer I get, but apple..?"

"Favourite fruit," he grins, sitting back down again. "Also, yours."

She's taken aback by that. "How did you..?"

"You're the Evil Queen. Snow White, apples..?" The penny drops for Regina then as she flicks back her cape. "Or that could have just been a good guess."

"Yes, well… they do happen to be my favourite." She can feel a blush creep over her face at just how much attention he's paying her - more so than all the fuss she was creating earlier just by her costume. "I have my best friend dressed as Snow White somewhere…" She waves her hand in some direction and, when Robin looks over, he spots just who she's referring to straightaway.

"Looks like she's met one of my so-called Merry Men." Regina whips her head round to see her best friend talking to a leather-clad dark, handsome stranger, holding a fake hook. Typical Emma. "That's Killian."

"Well, that's certainly a... " She pauses as she searches for the right word. "... imaginative take on Captain Hook." Regina and Emma's eyes meet then, just as Emma pushes her wig back behind her ear - a give me an excuse signal. Shit, she wants out of this conversation. "I better get over there."

Robin stands, nodding, holding out one of his ornamental apples. "For you."

"Oh, no, I couldn't…" Regina tries, but Robin shakes his head.

"Call it a gift for the Queen," he grins.

"Well, thank you… Thief." She licks her lips and takes the item from him, securing it in her tote. "I'll take one of these too," she says, picking up one of his business cards, flipping it back and forth. "In case I want to buy some more from Apple and Archer."

He beams as he sees the perfect opportunity to say what he's been wanting to say. "If you want any customised items… well, the website is on there. E-mail... My number."

"Might have to take you up on your offer," Regina smiles, taking hold of her regal cape, swishing it behind her as she turns. "See you around."


End file.
